Lost
by Vodid
Summary: Saved and raised by the Autobots, Steelfrost and Bumblebee have known each other since sparklings. They've grown up together and fought with the Autobots. Steelfrost was content with her life, but can being used as hostage by the Decepticons change that? Will being captured change Bee's feelings for her? Collab. by Vodid and 99luftballonsx.o.x.
1. Prologue

**Hi readers! This is a collaboration fix written by Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We (Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x) do not own Tranformers!**

**Prologue**

On Cybertron, just south of Kaon, barely on the outskirts, laid a Decepticon laboratory and inside where about two hundred lab-created sparklings were caged. Drones were too easy for the Autobots to defeat, and Megatron hated being defeated. So, Megatron then ordered to breed a new army for the Decepticons; Shockwave, Knock Out and Breakdown got to work; using sparks from fallen Cybertronians and tearing them apart, rebuilding them together and creating new bodies for them. For almost two Mega-Cycles, (6 months) they've been working on the project, already half an army bred. The sparklings were stored in units on different floors depending on their age. Most of them were malnourished and weak, only to get Energon once a day. But the thing the sparklings craved the most was affection. They so desperately wanted creators to love and cherish them, but it was not likely to go that way. Decepticons did not value or cherish anything.

Breakdown walked through another unit of sparklings, bored and and unfazed by the pleading cries of the sparklings as he rounded the corner and turned to Shockwave's lab, knocking rapidly on the door.

"Enter." A cold, monotonous voice replied as the large metal door slid open.

Breakdown walked in, watching Shockwave as he carefully placed the newly made spark into the tiny Cybertronian, it's blue optics coming to life as it chirped, looking around the room.

"Report patrol, Breakdown." Shockwave ordered.

Breakdown groaned, annoyed with the cold and serious Con scientist, "Nothing much, about ten sparklings died though. You better start feeding them, they're getting hungry."

Shockwave didn't respond, but picked up the sparkling and placed it in a cage, along with the other newly built sparklings. He then went over to the giant computer screen, typing in the data of yet another sparkling created.

"This sucks," Breakdown vented, "Why did Megatron have to make me a sparkling babysitter? I didn't harshly train with Barricade all those Deca-cycles for nothing."

"Oh please Breakdown, don't flatter yourself. You couldn't even take down that slaggin' Bulkhead." A new voice said, entering the lab. The voice belonged to Knock Out.

Breakdown narrowed his red gleaming optics on the Decepticon's Medical Officer, "S-So? I don't see you taking down any Autobots recently either."

"That's because we've been stuck here babysitting Megatron's latest project." Knock Out growled, glaring at the newly built sparklings.

"That's exactly what I thought." Breakdown murmured, glancing at the sparklings before looking back at Knock Out.

"Knock Out, report patrol." Shockwave's cold but loud voice rang as he turned from the giant computer screen.

"Five more dead sparklings, Shockwave. We need more Energon to feed the little infestations." Knock Out sneered.

"That's what I said." Breakdown murmured again.

"Silence. Take the new borns down to Unit: 4. Label them." Came Shockwave's stern reply.

Knock Out rolled his optics, before hauling up the cage of sparklings, careful for them to not touch anywhere near his new paint job before walking off down a few corridors, ending up at a large metal door that said UNIT 4: NEWLY BUILT in Cybertronian. He dropped them on to a conveyor belt which engraved their labels, right on the chest of their protoforms. And without another thought, Knock Out walked away.

But on that conveyor belt of sparklings that were waiting to be labeled and separated, laid a young, new-born femme sparkling with wide blue optics. As she laid strapped to the moving conveyor belt, looking around her environment with much curiosity, unlike the other sparkling around her who all had scared red optics, and shook with terror. She chirped curiously to them, but they did not reply. When it was her turn to be engraved, the sparkling looked up in awe at the big machine. She felt a slight pressure in her as the machine engraved her before rising again, and the femme was relieved the weight was gone, but still curious about her surroundings. She looked down at the engraved metal on the chest of her protoform:

TSS-#238 is what it read, before the next big machine covered her in silver blue metallic, gleaming armor.

"Megatron to Shockwave. Come in Shockwave." Meagatron's raspy voice filled the room before the Decepticon leader stood on the giant screen.

Shockwave looked up from his work, and nodded for him to continue once the screen was clear.

"I assume you are making tremendous progress on breeding an army, correct?" Megatron asked.

Shockwave nodded, "Affirmative."

"Good," Megatron said, a wicked smile spreading on his facial plates, "Now, it is on to phase two. Unicron has agreed to our terms, but he does want to see the lab sparklings before we send them into training. He will arrive to the laboratory in a few cycles, so be prepared. I am depending on you."

Shockwave nodded again.

Megatron nodded, "Very well then, I will leave you to you work. Megatron out." With that, the screen went into darkness again.

Shockwave vented, before walking back over to the dead Cybertronians, lost in thought as he began to surgically removing their sparks from their spark chambers, his emotionless facial plates never changing as he did.

The little, silver-blue femme sat in the large cage filled with sparklings her age. Most of them were still very afraid-she was still confused as to why, but some of them actually began to chirp and whirr and squeal, communicating in the only way the Cybertronian sparklings new how. Sparkling comm links. A red plated mech sparkling with antennas that was next to her chirped loudly, his red optics staring at her. The young femme began to wonder why all the others had dark or red, but still a solid red optics while hers were blue.

_*Hi.*_ the red plated sparkling chirped loudly, now crawling close enough for her to hear.

_*Hello,*_ She whirred, _*What is this place*_

_*An odd home,*_ The red plated mech whirred sadly, _*The big guys won't let us leave.*_

_*Big guys?*_ The femme chirped.

The red mech's antenna's twitched, and a set of heavy booming footsteps became louder and louder until there was a giant version of the red mech standing in front of them. The young femme stared at the gigantic orange colored bot. Most of his armor was orange, but the mech had silver, large calves and some parts of his chest were silver as well. His chest large and his legs long and slender, long and skinny metal wings shot out from his spiky orange shoulders. Along with matching, and equally frightening horns on the mech's helm as his burning yellow optics swept through the crowd of sparklings, his optics cold and calculating.

_*Hide! It's one of the big guys!*_ One of the sparklings cried, and then all the sparklings began to rush to the corners, crawling away in fear of the towering, wicked bot.

Only the young femme was left, still staring at the gigantic bot. His optics narrowed in on her, no longer paying attention to the other hidden sparklings as he stared back at her. And for what felt like the longest moment in the young femme's life, she stared silently at him, not once fidgeting in fear like the others or looking away.

**:…You...little one, will be mine...:** A sharp, deep voice rang in her head.

The young femme let out a surprised chirp. Who was had just spoken to her? It didn't sound like on of the others trying to communicate with her, they sounded different, and they're voices weren't so deep. She tore her gaze away from the towering monster to scan the crowd of shaking sparklings, trying to identify the voice. When she couldn't find a match, she went to look back at the orange mech only to find him gone. Not a trace of him was left. The young femme raised an optic ridge, as the other sparklings began to crawl out of their hiding places.

_*Why did you look at the big scary guy?*_ The same red mech had asked, his antennas twitched in curiosity.

_*I don't know,*_ She chirped, _*He seemed...curious.*_

But before the red mech could respond, there was a large crash that shook the ground the sparklings were on violently. The young femme rocked back in front shakily, trying to get balanced but failed and tumbling to the ground. Worried and scared cries rang out over the sparkling comm system. There was another large crash, this one worst than the last, as the floor caved within and the panicking sparklings fell with the floor, crashing painfully into another unit's cage. The young femme fell backwards, landing on her back. Pain shot through her spine and she began to cry, and so did many other sparklings, joining her as red, orange and yellow flames began to engulf the laboratory.

The sudden burst of energy sent her and other flying backwards, hitting the back wall and tumbling back to the floor again. White flashed across her vision, before the young femme's vision faded to darkness. But before consciousness slipped away from her, the same deep and sharp voice was back.

**:…You will not die, young femme...for you, are my chosen one...:**

* * *

Orbital cycles later…

A yellow mech scavenge the new ruins of a Decepticon laboratory, finding nothing but the building remains and an occasional deceased Decepticon. His eyes scanned the ground, hoping to find something in the ruins. Something to find out what the Decepticons are up to. The mech glanced around, his three teammates were helping him search through the ruins.

**:…Optimus Prime to Ratchet. Ratchet, find anything?...:** A baritone voice broke the silence.

**:…Negative, sir…:** Ratchet replied back through the comm link.

**:…Alright, I'll check in with Ironhide and Jazz. Optimus Prime out…:**

Ratchet watched his leader Optimus trek through the ruins, pausing every so often to talk through the comm link.

After a nanoclick of scanning the surface of the ruins, the mech tried moving the destroyed objects. His hopes of finding something were plummeting down a deep hole.

The mech vented, "This is hopeless." He muttered while glancing around again, his teammates were more spread out. Ratchet continued to move objects, finding a wide hole under a few large flat pieces of metal. The yellow mech stared at the hole, a spark of interest in his optics.

**:…Ratchet to Optimus…:**

**:…Speak Ratchet…:**

**:…I think I've found something, might lead deeper into the ground…:**

The mech looked around once more, his teammates were heading towards his location. Without hesitation, Ratchet jumped into the hole. He landed on a flat metal platform, not able to see his surroundings, Ratchet walked forward into a large room, barely intact.

He continued to walk, finding a small light source ahead. The small lights glowed faintly, flickering every so often, creating enough light for Ratchet to finally see his surroundings.

The room was indeed very large, the height of it suggests there were floors above it. Pieces from above left large holes in the metal ceilings, the pieces from above were now below, scattered across the floor or leaning on another object, some had continued to go through the floor leaving another large hole right below the one above.

A loud thud followed by two more sounded from behind Ratchet, making him flinch. He instantly recognized the faint voices of his three teammates; Optimus, Ironhide and Jazz. Instead of stopping for them to catch up, he continued on without a word being said.

Small pod-like objects scattered the floor, Ratchet couldn't make out what they were. All he knew is the pod-like objects were small and if they were alive, they're dead now. He looked away, unconcerned.

Nanoclicks passed and Ratchet still couldn't find anything, his teammates were catching up to him. Their soft footsteps echoed through the large room. As Ratchet went on, the lighting became more and more dim, until there was no light left. He was left with the only option of using his flashlight built into his wrist.

Giving up his hopes, Ratchet turned around to head back towards the team of three not far behind him. Only to be stopped by a small creaking noise of metal coming from the left. He stared warily into the dark corner of the room, finding nothing.

Shrugging it off, he continued to walk. The voices of his teammates were cancelled by a louder creaking noise, then a small chirp. A pair of small glowing circles appeared, subtly moving around before disappearing again. Ratchet had no hesitation to run over and inspect what he just saw and heard.

He moved the heavy metal with all his might from the area in which he heard the creaking. The metal moved slowly due to it's heavy weight, Ratchet grunting as he pushes the metal. He threw small pieces behind or next to him, searching frantically. He stopped at the first sight of a small body of a Cybertronian sparkling.

**:...Ratchet to Optimus, you won't believe what I've found...:**

Ratchet's eyes moved around the sparkling's body. It was beat up from a possible fall or crush of the metal. Those blue optics were staring up at him curiously, but full of pain. Dents, scrapes and scratches were put into the sparkling's armor.

**:...Optimus to Ratchet, we found you...:**

The soft footsteps of Ratchet's teammates were becoming louder with each pounding step. Ratchet payed no attention to his surroundings, but instead the sparkling. The mech was wondering most if the Decepticons were using sparklings as test subjects. He shined his flashlight over the sparklings body, finding the small text: TSS-#238.

The yellow mech slowly reached out for the sparkling. Careful not to harm it anymore than it already has been, he picked it up and held it securely in his arms, examining it. The sparkling's features easily told Ratchet it was a young femme, a newly built femme. Her fragile body shook in pain, but no fear.

Ratchet looked back to where she was found, he didn't notice at first, but ten, maybe even twenty other small sparklings were surrounding her. A red newly built mech lied nearby her former location.

"Ratchet, what have you found?" The baritone voice echoes through the room, Ratchet turns around to see Optimus, his red and blue armor barely visible through the dim lighting. Ironhide and Jazz were standing behind, their darker armor made it even more difficult to see them.

"A sparkling." Ratchet fully turned around, his body now facing Optimus. The small femme was now in the team's vision.

"A sparkling?" Jazz stepped forward, his optics widening at the sight of the femme.

"A newly built femme to be precise." Ratchet nods at the trio.

Optimus took a small step toward Ratchet, "Is she the only one?"

The yellow mech shook his head, "No, there were others."

"Were?" Ironhide breaks his silence and stares deeply into Ratchet's optics.

"Were. There are deceased sparklings lying around, this is the first femme I've seen, the others are mechs. The destruction of the laboratory must be the cause of their demises. I scanned one, it had barely any energon, which could be another cause of death." Ratchet looked solemnly at the small femme recharging in his arms.

Ironhide snorted, "We're going to have _another_ sparkling?" Jazz punched him in the arm, "Don't be rude, this little femme needs us."

"The question you should be asking is how and why?" Optimus looks back at the two Autobots, watching them shift around. Ratchet continues to stare at the sparkling in his arms, her silver-blue armor barely visible through the cuts, scrapes, dents and scratches she acquired from the metal crashing down onto her.

"None of you could find anything else?" Optimus looks between his three teammates, all three shook their heads. "Very well then. We need to get back to base, this sparkling needs medical attention." The leader nods to Ratchet, the sparkling in his arms shifts around, her curious optics looking around.

* * *

The team of Autobots found a safe way back up to the surface of the laboratory's ruins, their ship waiting just outside the laboratory.

"What do you think caused the explosion?" Jazz walked next to Ratchet while heading towards the large spaceship.

"There's no possible way to tell. It could have been an accident, or simply on purpose." Ratchet vented slowly, careful not to stir the recharging sparkling. The two mechs climbed onto the retractable platform to the ship, Optimus and Ironhide waiting. The platform retracted into the ship, bringing the team on board. Ironhide, Ratchet and Jazz took their seats while Optimus drove the ship in the front. Ratchet began to help the sparkling now lying in his lap, Jazz watching from his seat.

"We're pretty lucky you're a medic, huh Ratchet?" Jazz said quietly as Ratchet scanned the femme, her optics now open and curiously looking at Jazz. A blue light shot out from Ratchet's wrist, shining it onto the femme's body, it immediately turned orange after spotting a wound on her right shoulder. Ratchet continued to scan the sparkling, the orange light appearing multiple times around her body.

Ratchet vented, "What did they do to you, little one?" He stared into those blue optics of the sparkling, _shouldn't they be red like the rest of the Decepticons? _The ship slowed and came to a stop at the Autobots' base. Ratchet being the first to deploy from the ship and head into the medical bay.

Two metal berths were on each side of the large room, one being already occupied by another small mech sparkling. His body was slightly bigger than the femme's, and his armor was yellow and black. He too had curious blue optics examining his surroundings. Ratchet set the femme sparkling onto the vacant berth, her optics trailing over to the yellow sparkling on the berth across from her.

_*Is this big guy good or bad?* _She used her sparkling comm link to communicate to the yellow sparkling.

_*That's Ratchet, the Chief Medical Officer,__*_ The femme didn't fully understand what a "Chief Medical Officer" was, she could easily tell the mech was a little older than her. _*He's trying to help you.*_

_*He's going to fix me?*_ Her optics widen in glee as the yellow mech nodded from where he was.

_*How did you get so badly hurt?* _He curiously examined the femme's injuries, wanting to know what happened. Ratchet took out a blowtorch and began to work on the sparkling's damaged shoudler, she winced at the sudden contact.

_*I don't really know. Explosion?*_

The small mech's optics widen, _*I hope you get better soon.*_

_*Can I know your name?*_ The blowtorch on her shoulder started to get warmer by the nanoclick.

_*They call me Bumblebee, sometimes Bee. It's an odd name, but I like it. Your's?*_ His facial plates moved up into a smile.

_*I...Don't know. I think I was named something like 'TSS-#238?'* _Confusion swept over Bumblebee's face.

_*TSS-#238?*_

The door to the entrance of the med bay opened, revealing a large blue and red mech. _*That's Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots.*_ Bee's voice came through the comm link, but the femme didn't respond. Ratchet turned off the blowtorch, sat it down on the berth and walked over to the large mech.

"Optimus. I haven't found any sign of designation other than a text imprinted on her chestplate armor." Ratchet gestured to the sparkling, "The text said TSS-#238."

"Meaning what?" The larger mech stood a little taller than Ratchet did, his armor was bulkier.

"I'm assuming 'Test Subject; Sparkling. Number 238." Both their optics looked worried, "She's been starved. Not much energon is flowing through her body." Ratchet turned and walked back to the sparkling, he continued to work on her. Optimus followed close behind.

"Ratchet, is it possible to erase her memories of the laboratory without damaging anything else?" Optimus watched the medic work on the sparkling's left leg, welding pieces together. "It is possible. Would you like me to?"

The red and blue mech nodded and vented slowly, "It's for the best."

"Alright, it'll take me a while but I can do it." Ratchet turned from the sparkling to grab a large wire from behind him. He turned back to the sparkling with the wire in his hand. Tilting the femme's head, he plugged the wire into the back of her head. Her optics widened for a nanoclick before closing, her vision going black.

* * *

After a complex procedure, Ratchet finished erasing the sparkling's memories of the laboratory, making sure there was nothing left. It took a whole orbital cycle just to delete all her memories. The wire was unplugged from the femme's head; her eyes opening and squinting at the bright light. She looked over to Bumblebee, still remembering him. She remembers Optimus Prime and Ratchet, even the odd text imprinted on her chest. But nothing else.

"Welcome back, little one." Ratchet stood next to her berth, looking into her optics. She curiously looked back at the yellow mech standing before her.

"Ratchet here has decided a name for you." Another voice appeared, it was a deep baritone. She instantly recognized it was Optimus, he was standing next to her as well.

Ratchet was the next to speak, a smile developed on the medic's face plates, a subtle one on Optimus too.

"Steelfrost."


	2. Chapter 1

**99Luftballonsx.o.x: Thanks for the reviews!**

**Vodid: Thanks for all the favorites, reviews and follows in the last chapter, really helped out! After a week of typing, it's finally done; the second chapter of Lost! Hallelujah! That was hard! So sorry for the wait, especially you Guest, don't kill me please! Look, I'm updating, I'm updating! :)**

**Hi readers! This is a collaboration fix written by Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We (Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x) do not own Tranformers!**

(After the Great War) Estimated 200 vorns later...

Steelfrost ran down the corridor quickly, her spark thrumming wildly in her chest, venting deeply as she ran. She turned down another corner, scanning the perimeter carefully, before slowing her pace to a walk as she kept venting hard. Her processors felt like it was spinning as the slender, silvery-blue femme walked down the corridor. There was a small noise, and she froze, tensely turning around...but there was nothing there. Only darkness. Steelfrost raised an optic ridge, before doing another scan through the hall.

Once it came back clear, she slowly turned around and began walking again, and was thankful her venting was back to normal. There was another strange noise, this one much louder than the first. Now, Steelfrost was sure she wasn't alone. She looked behind herself again, only to find nothing there. (Where is this noise coming from?) She thought, slowly turning back around.

"Boo!" A tall, yellow mech with the same black and yellow armor shouted.

Steelfrost almost fell back on her aft, if wasn't at the last moment he slid a servo under her back and pulled her back up into a standing position. Her spark still thrummed in her chest from the scare, and her venting was all messed up again. A metallic laughed came out of Bumblebee, and she glared in mock anger at the adolescence mech. She punched him on the right side of his arm, and he stopped laughing, whirring some sort of a whine before rubbing the armor plates on his arm. He raised his optic ridge, shooting her a "what was that for?" look.

Steelfrost folded her arms across her chassis, "You deserved it. You scared me."

Even though Ratchet was the mech she first remembers, all the Autobots had pitched in to help raise the two younglings as if they were they're own, and Steelfrost and Bumblebee became very close, so close that they were practically inseparable. By now, both Steelfrost and Bumblebee were in their late teenage years, and they both joined the Autobots to fight the waging war with the Decepticons. But honestly, if she wasn't hanging around the black and yellow mech, she was usually raising pit with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, who also took quite a liking to her. Of course, the front-liner twins were stellar cycles older than her and Bee, but they were still good companions. Especially when it came to messing with Ratchet. But right now the front-liners twins were off on a mission to transport Cybertronian supplies and wouldn't be back for another solar cycle. Steelfrost and Bee had just completed another round of tag. Steelfrost had loved the game ever since they were sparklings, and hasn't stopped playing it since.

Bumblebee rolled his baby blue optics. _*Drama Queen*_ He muttered over their special comm link they've shared ever since they were sparklings.

_*Excuse me?*_ She asked, moving her hands to her hips.

_*I didn't scare you that bad. I purposely made sound, to alert you.*_ He explained, still rubbing his arm plates.

_*Sure.*_ Steelfrost said, rolling her optics playfully.

Bumblebee whirred another protest, but Steelfrost began to walk towards the exit of the corridors and back towards the main halls. He easily caught up to her in a few long strides.

"What'cha want to do now?" He asked.

Steelfrost shrugged, "Maybe we could-"

"There you two are!" A familiar, and irritated voice growled from across the main hall.

As the stomping figure came closer, the two young Autobots could see that it was Ratchet, folding his arms across his chassis as well, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Ratchet..." Bee trailed off.

"Where have you two been? I've been calling you for ten breems!" He said sternly.

The young duo's optics glanced at each other before resting back on the fuming Chief Medical Officer.

"Sorry." The both said in unison.

Ratchet still didn't look pleased. "Oh, you'll both be sorry once I'm done with you."

"What are you gonna do to us?" Bee asked nervously, Steelfrost noticed his whole frame was rigidly still.

The ends of Ratchet's facial plates turned up into a smug little smirk, "Medical check ups."

Both of the young Autobots groaned.

_*Frag.*_ Steelfrost muttered over the comm link.

Steelfrost and Bumblebee sat uncomfortably still on the berths as Ratchet dug around in his data pads for the right ones. Steelfrost sighed, fumbling around with her servos as she waited, occasionally glancing at Bee to see his door wings twitch nervously.

_*You bored?*_ She heard the young mech's voice over their special comm link.

She nodded, _*Yes. very much.*_

"Ah, found them." Ratchet said, pulling out two data pads with their designations written on them.

He walked towards them, studying them intently. Steelfrost swallowed nervously. Ratchet did have a tendency to loose patience and beat the living slag out of his patients with a wrench when they angered or even annoyed him. Although, most of that comes from the front-liner twins, and he has never really hit her with a wrench before. Maybe it was because she was a femme, or because they raised her since she was a newly built sparkling, the silver-blue femme thought. Even though he didn't harm her with wrenches, it sure as pit didn't stop him for threatening the both of them.

"Bumblebee," Ratchet stated, "You need another virus check up." He then looked over to the femme's data pad.

Steelfrost's audio receptor's perked up.

"Same goes for you Steelfrost...it also reports you have slight damage in your chest plates. I'll take a look at that."

Now that the medic had mentioned it, Steelfrost had been feeling a slight throb in her chest plates once in a while. But usually she would ignore it, and convince herself that she slept on the berth the wrong way. Or that her limbs were just a bit stiff. She vented softly, but nodded her helm anyway.

* * *

Many vorns earlier...

Megatron was more than annoyed, the Decepticons were still no closer in winning the centuries old war and was getting tired of Optimus's wretched Autobot troops wiping out his Decepticons outposts. He's just had enough of all of it!

**:...Lord Megatron...:** Starscream, the irritating Second In Command's scratchy voice filled his helm on the comm link.

**:...What is it Starscream?...:** Megatron growled, not in the mood to really listen to whatever he was going to report.

**:...Unicron has requested to see you at once. He's saying something about a sparkling project Vorns ago...I honestly don't understand...:**

Megatron's audio receptors perked at the mention of Unicron, but his red optics narrowed at the mention of yet, another failed experiment.

**:...Tell him if he wants to see me, he can come here. I'm not moving...:** He grumbled, his anger now re-born.

**:...Yes, Lord Megatron...:** Starscream's scratchy, high-pitched voice replied before the comm link went off and Megatron was left to ponder in silence.

What could Unicron want anyway? Didn't he know the laboratory was destroyed due to exposed flammable chemicals? Megatron only spent a few more groons in silence, before the large, metal doors slid open with a soft creak and stepped in the large, orange and silver colored mech with sharp horns and wings.

"Unicron." Megatron said flatly.

"Megatronous." Unicron replied. He had to hold back the grimace from Unicron using his full name.

"What brings you here? My Second In Command told me you wanted to talk about the sparklings." Megatron started.

Unicron inclined his head slightly, "That is correct."

Mehatron raised an optic ridge, "But why? The laboratory was destroyed, anything and everything in it is gone."

"That is where you're wrong Megatronous," Unicron said, his voice deep and sharp, "I knew the plan of breeding a new army for the Decepticons was most likely going to fail. That is why I decided to make a plan of my own."

"Fail?" Megatron growled.

Unicron nodded, "I have chosen one of your laboratory sparklings, to use as an essential key in a weapon I have been working on for years. The femme has the right amount of energy in her Energon. Now that her spark has matured enough, I will need her."

"And what do I have to do with this?" Megatron asked, now genuinely interested in Unicron's words.

Unicron's yellow optics seemed to darken, "I have engraved her with a mark on her protoform. A Cybertronian symbol. I am searching for her. If you help me track her down, I will allow you to use the weapon on the Autobots. Sound fair enough?"

Megatron's crimson optics brighten at the thought of watching Optimus Prime fall, "You have a deal."

* * *

After the check up with the two young Autobots, Ratchet dismissed them, of course after he lectured their audio receptor's off. He began to walk back over to store the two's data pads when an alert had popped up on Steelfrost's data pad. Raising and optic ridge, Ratchet looked at the alert and once he did, his optics widened and he almost dropped the data pad. Quickly setting it down on the counter next to him, Ratchet quickly commed Optimus.

**:...Ratchet to Optimus. Come to the med bay, and quick!...:**

And only a few kliks later, the regal Autobot leader was there. But Ratchet was so busy studying the new piece of information on the data pad, he didn't even register Optimus's arrival until he spoke.

"Is there a problem, Ratchet?" Optimus asked.

Only slightly startled, Ratchet looked up and nodded quickly and gave the data pad for Optimus to look at.

"It seems that my scanners have picked up this mark on Steelfrost's protoform I don't know why it never had shown up before." Ratchet said wit slight annoyance.

Even though Ratchet was confused as to what it might be, Optimus knew clearly what the mark, or rather what the symbol meant. His face fell grim, as he handed the data pad back to the yellow medic.

"That is no mark Ratchet, for it is the symbol of Unicron."

* * *

"I hate Ratchet's medical check ups." Bumblebee muttered as him and Steelfrost walked down the corridor.

"They're too frequent." The femme said as she crossed her arms. The two young Autobots rounded a corner and continued to walk down the corridor, "Nobody else gets them every orn like we do."

They reached a large door on the left wall of the corridor and walked in. The room was small and empty besides a large screen hooked up on the wall and a metal berth with an energon cube placed on it's surface, "You haven't had your energon cube yet?"

"Apparently not." Steelfrost murmured as she walked over to her berth and picked up the energon cube, examining the pink liquid before gulping it down her throat.

Bumblebee scrunched his nose in disgust, "Don't you think it would have gone bad by now?"

"Nope!" Steelfrost wiped the energon off her mouth, smiled and walked over to the mech, "Your expression's adorable." She poked his nose before he could shrink away from her.

"Yeah, I think I've heard you the first hundred times you've said that." He muttered, swatting the femme's hand away.

The silver-blue femme snickered, "That all you got, bug?" She grabbed his wrist and twisted it around, causing Bumblebee to squeal and flip over onto his back. "You can't even defend yourself against me, let alone against the Decepticons!" She teased the mech, poking his nose. Bumblebee found the opportunity to pin her down and he took it before it was gone.

He soon had Steelfrost pinned on the floor, "Who's laughing now?" His hands were gentle on her wrists, he didn't use his full weight to hold her down, this was an opportunity for the femme.

Steelfrost mumbled something before swiftly getting on her feet, Bumblebee had her in a headlock. She tripped the mech, bringing her along with him. The two broke in laughing fits, the comm link interrupted the fun soon after.

**:...Optimus Prime to Bumblebee and Steelfrost, we've got a mission and we want you two to come along...: **Bumblebee jumped for joy, the two young Autobots were finally going on a mission.

**:...Steelfrost speaking, what's the mission?...:**

**:...A Decepticon spotted at some ruins south of Kaon...:**

**:...We're on our way, Prime...: **Bumblebee turned off his comm link, as did Steelfrost. The two Autobots stood and walked out of the room.

They made their way down the long corridor, heading towards the entrance to the whole base. When they made it, Optimus, Ironhide, Jazz and Sideswipe were already waiting. Surprisingly, Sunstreaker wasn't coming along as he usually would when Sideswipe goes on one.

"You two ready?" Jazz looked at the femme and mech, both nodding in reply.

"Autobots, roll out!" Each one of the Autobots transformed into their own thing, an unique Cybertronian vehicle. The vehicle's finish always matched the Autobot's armor, no matter the color.

The rest of the team traveled on wheels while Steelfrost was able to fly, possessing the same alternate mode as a Seeker would, the Autobots kept quiet.

The Autobot patrol made it to the ruins, taking one or two cycles. They each transformed and started to search the ruins for any trace of Decepticons; scanning the area, moving obstacles, searching for signatures, what ever the Autobots could do to find the Decepticon. Steelfrost and Bumblebee finally decided to split up and search a wider range than they were together.

Steelfrost wandered away from the group, on the edges of the ruins. Her optics scanned the ground, bits of metal bent under her feet. A pile of metal shifted, attracting Steelfrost's attention to it. Faint screams came from the pile of metal, they sounded like sparklings. The femme stopped walking, looking at the pile of metal bits, puzzled. She began to walk towards the pile, the screams becoming louder as she got closer. The femme reached out and started to pick up metal pieces, moving them aside and grabbing for another. The pile became smaller and was soon gone. Steelfrost turned to grab the last piece, but stopped. She stifled a scream, settling for a noticeable flinch.

A small sparkling was curled up in the center of the pile, rust was forming on it's red armor and it looked completely drained of energon. Two small attennas, one broken, was attached to the sparkling's head.

Steelfrost leaned in to get a better look, a text was on the sparkling's chestplates. It read; TSS-#224. Her optics widened as she suddenly realized she has a similar text on her chestplates.

A scream, a _real_ scream cut off her thoughts. Her head snapped left to see what the commotion was all about, she heard metal hitting metal. Discarding the sparkling, she instantly ran towards the sound, stopping when she finds the Decepticon and Bumblebee, he was trying to capture Bee!

Bumblebee fought hard as he struggled to get out of the Decepticon's grip. No other Autobots were around, just Steelfrost. The femme skidded down the pile of metal and tackled the Decepticon. Getting a better look at him, she realized this was Starscream; the current leader of the Decepticons, since Megatron was no longer available.

Starscream kicked her away and grabbed for Bumblebee again, this time being successful when he activated a smoke bomb before Steelfrost could lie another digit on him. The Decepticon was on the top of a metal pile by the time the smoke had cleared, firmly holding Bumblebee. The young Autobot reached out for Steelfrost, calling her name.

Steelfrost started to run towards Bumblebee, watching and listening as Starscream mumbled, "Eh, might as well take her too. The more the merrier."

"You leave her alone!" Bumblebee struggled more in the Decepticon's grasp, flailing his legs.

"Shut up, Autobot!" Starscream's scratchy voice filled Steelfrost's audio receptors.

The femme stood in horror as the Decepticon activated a cannon and pointed it at Bumblebee's head, "Come with me, and maybe I'll spare his spark."

Steelfrost didn't budge. She saw something behind the Decepticon before a swift bullet hit Starscream in the back, causing him to howl in pain. Giving him a jump start, Starscream transformed into a jet mid-air with Bumblebee in his possession and took off, leaving nothing behind.

_Was Bumblebee hurt? _The femme thought as she watched Optimus climb the pile of metal, looking down at Steelfrost. He saw the pain in her eyes. "They took him." She whispered, turning her head to look at the direction Starscream fled.

Optimus placed a servo on her shoulder, "We'll send out a search party for Bumblebee. For now, we need to return to base." He stared into Steelfrost's optics, though she wasn't looking back at him.

* * *

An orbital cycle later...

The search party was out, obviously, searching for Bumblebee. It contained Optimus, Ironhide, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, all looking for Bumblebee.

Steelfrost sat at a table, having her left hand on her cheek and her right hand tapping it's digits on the table. Her face looked bored and solemn at the same time. The orbital cycle passed slowly, Bumblebee still hasn't been found. She grew more and more worried as kliks passed.

**:...Optimus Prime to base, anyone have there comm link on?...:** Steelfrost perked up at the sound of Optimus' voice.

**:...Steelfrost speaking, what is it?...:** Her spoke quickly as she was hoping for news of Bumblebee's capture, hopefully they found him.

**:...Ratchet's comm link isn't on...:** She turned her head to the mech standing nearby her, his back turned on her.

She rolled her optics. :**...I'll get him...:**

The femme stood up and silently walked over to Ratchet. Smacking the mech upside the head, she scolded him, "Your comm link is turned off!" Oddly, it felt good to scold the old grump. He always scolded her and Bumblebee. Ratchet grunted and turned on his comm link, rubbing the back of his head.

**:...Ratchet to Prime, I'm here...:**

**:...Good. We're coming back, be prepared...:** Be prepared? Steelfrost had guessed it was Bumblebee, but why did Optimus need to tell Ratchet to be prepared? Was Bumblebee injured?

A breem later, the doors to the med bay swung open, Optimus and Ironhide walked in with what looked like Bumblebee in their arms. His optics were off, flickering every so often. He was offline. His armor was severely damaged with his neck area being more damaged than the rest. Steelfrost stared in horror. What did the Decepticons do? Anger rose in Steelfrost, but also fear.

The two Autobots lied Bumblebee onto the metal berth and Ratchet instantly went to work. First by scanning the young mech. Ratchet shook his head, Steelfrost panicked, "What is it?"

Ratchet didn't reply as he walked over to his table to grab tools for Bumblebee's injuries. Several kliks later, he finally answered Steelfrost's question.

"It looked like he fought against the Decepticons, and they damaged his vocal processor."


	3. Chapter 2

**99Luftballonsx.o.x: _None_**

**Vodid: Thanks for everything! Sorry this chapter came out _really_ _really_ late...Hope you guys like the story so far, hope the title fits it. At first, we were considering "Since Sparklings" but instead it came out with the title "Lost."**

**Hi readers! This is a collaboration fix written by Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We (Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x) do not own Tranformers!**

Bumblebee awoke to the sound of a femme's voice softly calling his name. He slowly onlined and saw the femme who was calling his name; Steelfrost. The mech smiled at the first sight of her, she instantly returned the smile.

"Ratchet!" Her head turned to the side while calling the medic.

"What!" Steelfrost snickered at his tone of voice.

"Bumblebee's online." She scooted back to let Ratchet see, his optics began to scan Bumblebee. Sighing softly, he whispered a thank you to Primus, he helped Bumblebee sit up and get off the metal berth. The yellow and black mech struggled to talk, holding his throat while he coughed. A servo was placed on his shoulder, he looked behind his shoulder to see Optimus, "I'm sorry Bumblebee."

Steelfrost walked up next to Optimus, "You're vocal processor's damaged. You can't speak." Her voice was full of pity, something Bumblebee hated, but he couldn't help but take the pity he has received.

Instead of speaking using his vocal processor, Bumblebee settled for chirps. Or if he was talking to Steelfrost, he would use his sparkling comm link, or just his regular comm link to others.

"How does it feel to not be able to speak?" Steelfrost asked as the two Autobots walked down the corridor. He chirped in response, glancing at her.

"We'll find an easier way to speak soon, Bee." She held his servo for reassurance.

Entering Steelfrost's room, Bumblebee headed for her berth to sit on. Taking a seat next to the mech, Steelfrost sighed, her shoulders slumped. "You were offline for a couple orbital cycles. I was worried."

Bumblebee shook his head weakly, his servo reaching out and taking her arm softly, as if silently telling her not to worry. Steelfrost let a small, smile slip on to her face plates. But as quickly as it was on, it faded and simmering anger replaced it. _The fraggers! How dare they! Try to hurt my best friend! They are going to pay...they all are. Every single last one of those disgusting Cons!_ Steelfrost didn't even register Bee until she felt his grip tighten slightly, cutting through her angry death-plotting like a knife and bringing her back to her room.

Bumblebee opened his mouth rising up, trying to say something, but all that came out was a painful cough. Steelfrost gently laid him back down as the terrible hacking ceased.

She shook her helm and sighed, "Don't try to speak Bee, you'll only stress yourself."

Bumblebee wouldn't take it. He shot her an expecting look, and she sighed again.

"I'm okay, I promise." She said, raising her right servo.

Bumblebee raised an optic ridge, and she smiled again, ruffling his door wings gently. They twittered, sending a warm jolt through her frame, and her smile widened. "I'm really okay, Bee. And hopefully soon, you'll be too."

* * *

"Starscream," Megatron growled, "Report mission."

The Second In Command let out a nervous sigh, "We...we had one of the Autobots. A black and yellow one, but..but he got away! I d-don't know how Lord Megatron, but I promise it will be my personal duty to see who was responsible for it."

Megatron growled again, standing up from his throne and pointing a sharp, metal finger at the cowering Seeker, "It_ is_ your fault! You are responsible! I give you a simple mission, capturing, and you can't even accomplish that! Yet you have the audacity to complain about Soundwave and Shockwave being my favorites? You're so incompetent, you can't even complete a simple mission!"

"I did! I only went to fetch Breakdown for interrogation, and he was gone! The drones dead! He left without a trace!" The Seeker exclaimed.

Megatron rolled his crimson optics, "Always finding somebot else to blame, eh Starscream?" He took another step closer, the ground faintly shaking from the metal giant's footsteps.

"N-No! It wasn't my fault! I promise!" Starscream stuttered, taking a few steps back.

"Promise?" Megatron scoffed, "I do not trust you no farther than I can throw you." He took another menacing step closer.

Starscram swallowed hard, before stomping the ground like a child, "No! You can't blame me for this! You blame me for everything that fails! You _always_ blame me! I was once heir commander of the Seekers, and I demand at least some respect!"

"Watch your tone with me, glitch." Megatron snarled dangerously, crimson eyes burning with anger.

He was now towering over Starscream, and since the exit was behind the violent, brute, Starscream had no choice but to cool his slowly rising temper.

"I-I meant n-no disrespect sir, I-"

A loud metal clank filled the room as Starscream went flying into the wall. A new dent right below his left optic.

"That is Lord Megatron to you!" He roared, wrapping his metal fingers around his throat, and the Second In Command began to wheeze loudly, desperately trying to wriggle out and escape Megatron's wrath.

"I should extinguish your spark," Megatron growled, "You are useless. Every time I send you on a mission, you fail me. You are a failure Starscream. Nothing more than a lying, back-stabbing, miserable, peace of scrap. Perhaps I should put your sorry aft out of misery and end you now."

"N-No!" Starscream scratchily wheezed, "P-Please Lord Megatron! H-Have mercy on m-m-me!"

"I do not give mercy." He hissed venomly, before releasing the Seeker fell to the floor, coughing and struggling to regain regular venting at the same time.

"Bait the Autobots and capture the youngest two. If you come to me empty-handed again, I will waste no time in ending your pathetic existence." Megatron snarled, before walking out of the room, leaving Starscream still gasping and wheezing for breath.

"I...will...get...my revenge." Starscream snarled, in between wheezes.

* * *

Steelfrost onlined from her recharge a muffled sound, as if someone were banging metal against metal outside of the base, an odd ringing sound following it. Interested, she got off her berth and began to walk down the corridor, but stopped. She should get Bumblebee. Scooting backwards, she reached Bumblebee's door and entered.

Walking up to his berth, she watched him recharge. She spoke while shaking his shoulder, "Hey Bee...Wake up!" He moaned as he onlined, about dismiss the unwanted wake-up call. "Shut up and listen."

The noise was still going, that metal against metal followed by the ringing. _*What is that?*_

"I don't know, want to find out?" She smirked as Bumblebee shook his head. Grabbing his servo, she pulled him off the berth and out the door, "Come on, it'll be fun!"

Walking outside, Steelfrost could easily tell that the sound was a little farther away, but no longer muffled like it used to be. But Bee stopped walking, an odd feeling inside of him, like they shouldn't go, Steelfrost started teasing, "Come on Bee, you're not _scared_ are you?"

Offended, Bumblebee crossed his arms and followed.

The sound got louder as they got closer, it was echoing through the area. Bumblebee kept looking left to right, making sure nothing was following or watching. _*Steelfrost, we should get back to base. I have a bad feeling about this place.*_

_*Yes because rhyming will totally make me go back*_ She rolls her optics as she starts to walk a faster pace, Bumblebee hopelessly sighs.

The two young Autobots reached the source of the sound. It was a large box, the sound was coming from inside. The noise was deafening to their audio receptors, but had stopped as soon as they had approached the box.

_*Steelfrost, I really do think we should get out of here!*_

_*Oh stop, you're just scared.*_ Steelfrost teased. She was the kind of daredevil type, always taking the dare and soon getting in trouble.

A few metal clinks caused Bumblebee to step back a few paces and Steelfrost to freeze. Someone was watching them, and it made them uncomfortable. The femme mumbled, "You hear that? I don't sense any signatures around here, or at all."

More metal clinks echoed through the area, bouncing off of nearby buildings and hitting the next. Tiny voices were now audible, nothing but Cybertronian words that couldn't be made out entirely. A roar of an engine from behind grabbed the young Autobots' attention, their heads snapped back to see nothing was there. Steelfrost turned back around to find a large Decepticon, his missiles aimed towards the both of them. His scratchy voice filling their audio receptors, "Don't move if you know what's best for you, Autobots."

"Scrap." Steelfrost cursed under her breath, Decepticon drones were coming out of the shadows and surrounding the two Autobots. Starscream steps forward, "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way if you desire it so much."

Steelfrost snarls and lunges at the Second In Command, he dodges and kicks her onto the ground. She growls in frustration. Bumblebee hadn't moved, instead, scolded Steelfrost through the sparkling comm link. _*I told you we should have left! But no, you have to continue to walk on into danger.*_

_*Shut up and help me will you?*_

_*Why should I?*_ Bumblebee activated a cannon and shot one of the drones, instantly killing it.

Steelfrost vented loudly, _*Well, you already are...So...*_ She squirmed under Starscream, he had her pinned firmly down, restricting her from moving anywhere.

Starscream looked down at the femme, "I have this nice trick you might like, femme." He snarled, she stopped squirming. The Second In Command bent down and attached something to the back of her head, then removed it. Her optics dimmed and she was soon offline.

The Decepticon jumped off of Steelfrost's body and moved over to Bumblebee. Starscream pinned the Autobot down with ease, "This is too easy."

He attached the same device onto the back of the young Autobot's head and then took it off. Doing the same as Steelfrost, his optics dimmed and he was offline.

"Take these two peasants back to base, put them in the brig." Starscream ordered before transforming and taking off.


	4. Chapter 3

**Hi** **readers! This is a collaboration fix written by Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We (Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x) do not own Transformers!**

Steelfrost's optics slowly online. She waited patiently as her systems booted. The femme looked around, noted how her surroundings were dark. It smelled like dried energon and rusted metal. Steelfrost realized she was in a small confined space alone.

Sorely crawling forward, she swept her servos across the floor in hopes to find something. Her right servo collided with a metal object, her servo painfully bounced off of it for she had hit it too hard. Steelfrost put her servo back to the object, feeling it. The metal was vertical, slim and round. She continued to feel around and found more of them. They were bars. Slightly rusted, but still tough. She sighed, she was in the brig.

She let her optics adjust to the darkness, it soon turned into a simple dimness. Steelfrost looked out the bars when she heard a soft clang of metal. Across from her was another cell, where another Cybertronian lied. It stirred, but didn't online.

Cycles passed, the dingy smell of dried energon had disappeared for Steelfrost as she became used to it. The Cybertronian in the cell across from her still didn't move. She could smell fresh energon from her cell and the other. Realization flashed across her as she remembered the attack from the Decepticons. She wasn't just in any brig, she was in the Cons'.

Steelfrost punched the wall and cursed, "Fraggit!"

A loud noise came from the cell across. The Cybertronian was onlining. Like Steelfrost, the bot was in the same situation where he needed to find out where he was and what was going on.

The femme grabbed the bars to her cell and pressed her helm as far as it would go, she tried to figure out who this was. The bot had made it to the bars, stood up and looked around. The two locked gazes.

_*Steel?*_

_*Bee?*_

_*Where are we?*_

_*Decepticon brig.*_

Their conversation was soon cut off by the sound of a door opening. Both Autobots shrank back in their cells, not wanting attention. Two Decepticon drones walked past their cells, then stopped and turned around. A larger Decepticon appeared behind. His armor was mostly a stonewashed metal with slips of faint purple armor. The Decepticon had one large red optic. He had a large cannon mounted on his right arm and a shield on his left. A long metal chain was connected on his wrist to his shoulder.

Overall, this Decepticon's frame was intimidating, yet seemed so familiar to Steelfrost.

"Grab her," Steelfrost chilled at his deep monotone voice. The drones obeyed and opened the cell to Steelfrost. They forcefully grabbed the femme, securing her arms. Two more drones appeared, silently inquiring if they should grab Bumblebee. The large Decepticon shook his helm and turned, "Leave him. We only need the femme."

Steelfrost fought against the drones' grip, but the more she struggled, the tighter they held. As they walked, she walked. "Damn drones!" She spat. The two Decepticons followed as the larger one walked on.

* * *

Ratchet sat at his monitor, investigating more and more on this...symbol of Unicron, that was apparently marked on Steelfrost. Several holographic images of the same mark appeared on screen, and Ratchet raised an optic ridge as he read the caption under it.

_The mark of Unicron is a symbol that means that a femme or a mech has dark energon within their veins, they are either an extension of Unicron himself or were "marked" by him._

Dark energon? Ratchet's optics widened in alert. How could this be? Steelfrost has been medically checked many of times and not once did Ratchet's scanners pick up any trace of dark energon.

Ratchet narrowed his optics, "This information is false!"

_But...is it really?_ The mark on Steelfrost is scarily accurate to the ones on the images before him. Could this mean that, in that Decepticon laboratory where she was created, Unicron had marked her? Ratchet wasn't sure, but he was smart enough to know that it was better to be safe then sorry.

**:...Steelfrost, please report to Med Bay immediately...:** Ratchet commed, trying to keep a grip on his growing paranoia.

He waited impatiently for her to comm back, but when kliks passed by and there was no response, Ratchet began to worry again. But he quickly replaced the worry with annoyance and irritation as he commed her again.

**:...Steelfrost, did you not get my comm? I said bring your aft to the Med Bay...:**

Again, kliks passed by, and there was still no response.

**:...Steelfrost? Why aren't you answering me?...:** The paranoia was only growing, and something didn't feel right. A cold, somber feeling was growing in his tanks, and he immediately exited the Med Bay, walking quickly down the halls and towards the room he knew Steelfrost and Bumblebee shared. Why wasn't she picking up her comm? As much as Ratchet annoyed Steelfrost at times, she still loved the old medic because he was simply the one who saved her from the wreckage. And she loved him for that...

**:...Steelfrost?...:** He tried again as he reached he'd their berth room. He overrided their door with a medical code and entered, only to freeze when two berths were empty. It was night time at the Autobots base, and that meant that everyone was recharging. ...except two bots, appearently.

Ratchet tried to comm Bumblebee, but the same thing happened. Something was wrong. Horribly and utterly wrong, and Ratchet felt like he was about to purge his tanks.

**:...Optimus!...:** Ratchet commed urgently.

**:...Yes, old friend?...:** The Autobot Leader replied in a slight groggily voice.

**:...Steelfrost and Bumblebee! They're...they're not in their rooms! And neither of them are answering their comms! Optimus, there's something wrong, Steelfrost and Bumblebee never not pick up their comms!...:**

**:...Calm down Ratchet...:** Optimus's baritone voice rumbled across the comm,** :...I will go look for them. Until then, I advise some recharge would be necessary...:**

**:...Are you fragging kidding me?! STEELFROST AND BUMBLEBEE ARE MISSING AND YOU EXPECT ME TO RECHARGE?!...:** Ratchet nearly screeched.

**:...My apologies, perhaps I worded that incorrectly...:**

**:...Yeah, you fragging did...:** Ratchet muttered before realizing his disrespect tone, **:...I'm sorry Optimus, but I have found out some rather important information and I need to know if Steelfrost has dark Energon in her veins...:**

It had been about thirty kliks later, and no one could find the youngest bot.

Ratchet was beyond sanity, running through halls and checking each corner and crevice. It was now painfully obvious that the sudden disappearance was not just the two goofing around, the whole base was on alert, searching as well.

But Ratchet didn't care how many soldiers groan and protested when they were rudely awakens by a medic on rampage, searching their rooms. No, he did not care at all.

Steelfrost and Bumblebee were missing, and all that mattered to the Chief Medical Officer is that he would find them.

And beat the slag out of them with a wrench when he does.

* * *

Steelfrost was strapped to a berth set to a slanted axis. She could only turned her helm, unable to move anything else.

The intimidating Decepticon was on a datapad, reading and then typing repetitively. Two drones stood guard at the entrance to the large room.

"Who are you?" The Decepticon turned his helm in response to Steelfrost's inquiry.

"You don't remember me then. My designation's Shockwave. Believe it or not, I created you." He turned back to his datapad without continuation to the conversation. Steelfrost just stared at him, definitely not believing the Decepticon.

She needed to get away from this freak, but how could she? There's nothing she can do, nowhere to go. As far as Steelfrost knew, she wasn't going anywhere.

Shockwave turned around with a large wire, he took long strides over to her. The Decepticon grabbed her helm and turned it so the back was exposed. He plugged the wire into the back of her head. Steelfrost tried to fight it, but alas, her optics offlined against her will.

* * *

_The silver-blue femme stood in a large room, a pathway in front of her. She heard screams and cries around her. Steelfrost walked through the pathway, cages surrounding it. She walked up to a large one and found over twenty sparklings huddled together in a corner. They seemed to have not noticed her._

_A small red mechling sat next to a small silver-blue femme that looked similar to her. They seemed to be communicating through a sparkling comm link, but Steelfrost couldn't make out any of it._

_There was one sparkling in the tiny crowd that cried something, they all suddenly hid in the corner of the cage, none of them looking out. Except the femme._

_A large mech was standing next to Steelfrost, he didn't noticed her at all. He was instead, staring down at the silver-blue femme. Steelfrost looked at all of the trembling sparklings, none of them seemed to be comfortable with this place but the femme sparkling. The large mech was gone when Steelfrost looked back at his former location. He was no where to be found._

_Before Steelfrost could investigate, a crash shook the ground violently, making the sparklings yelp in surprise and terror. Another crash came along, this time it was strong enough to knock over Steelfrost. Flames arose from the shadows and continued to spread. The sparklings were continued to be thrown around by the brute force of an explosion._

_Steelfrost's surroundings changed, she was still in the laboratory, it was just wrecked. She looked around and saw all the sparklings deceased in either piles of heaps or spread out. The femme was standing in front of her sparkling self, unconscious, damaged but alive._

_She jumped in surprise when a familiar yellow mech came through the wreckage. She watched as he found herself and caressed her. The rest of the team came along and learned about the mech's discovery. They had a quick conversation before leaving._

_Once again, her surroundings changed. This time, she wasn't in the laboratory. She was in Ratchet's Med Bay. Steelfrost noticed two sparklings, one yellow and the other her._

_"Shockwave has created over hundreds of sparklings," Ratchet welded the sparkling's wounds, "This was the only surviving one. I don't think he cared much anyway."_

_"Where did he get so many sparks?" The regal Prime watched as Ratchet erased Steelfrost's memories of the laboratory._

_The medic grunted, "Who knows. They could be fallen Cybertronian sparks. From drones, other Decepticons or even us." He looked down in grief, remembering his fallen comrades. He continued speaking._

_"Shockwave's creations were built for battle use, just look at the femme's armor. It's more thicker and durable than Ironhides, and every bot knows he has the best armor. And cannons." He smirked before continuing, "This femme is special. Most likely the strongest there is."_

_"We should give her a designation." The Prime said, "Ratchet, it's only proper you name her, you found her. You take responsibility."_

_The Chief Medical Officer smiled, "What is she, my sparkling?"_

_"In some cases, yes."_

_Ratchet stopped, almost protesting but realized it's for the best. "I have an idea."_

_Steelfrost continued to watch but was interrupted by darkness. She watched as herself appeared, without armor. Her protoform was exposed. Steelfrost was shown a symbol on herself, it had swirls and jagged lines. A small simple symbol._

_Optimus' voice echoed through the darkness, "That is no mark Ratchet, for it is the symbol of Unicron."_

* * *

Steelfrost gasped awake, her venting heavy and her tanks ready to purge. She felt nauseated. The femme shut her optics to try to ease the pain. She opened them again to find Shockwave at her side.

"I'm sure that's enough proof and knowledge for now."

The femme just stared at the floor, she couldn't believe it. Shockwave was right and the Autobots were wrong. _He lied to me. My Ratchet lied to me._

She felt betrayed.


	5. Chapter 4

**Vodid: Ahh! I love it, I love it, I love it! These reviews! Even though there aren't oh so many at the moment, it still makes me overjoyed! Here's a chapter for you all! :D**

**Hi** **readers! This is a collaboration fix written by Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We (Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x) do not own Transformers!**

**:...Has anyone seen anything?...:** Ratchet asked over the public comm channel. No answer was positive, and Ratchet drove even faster in his alt mode on the dusty path that lead to the outskirts of Iacon.

**:...Slow down, Ratch...:** Ironhide grumbled, trying to keep up with the speeding, frenzied medic.

**:...Shut up...:** Ratchet snapped, and Ironhide wisely kept quiet as they entered the outskirts, where the smooth roads became rocky terrain. Ratchet and Ironhide both transformed, since it would be very difficult to drive through all the sharp and jagged rocks. It was still dark, and neither of the Autobots could see very clearly, the edges of their visions blurred with darkness that seemed to surround them. But Ratchet, determined to find the two youngest Autobots, turned on the medical lights inserted on the sides of his bulky shoulders.

The dark land was quiet, and nothing could be heard except for the two robot's footsteps. Ironhide was beyond unpleasant, he was probably in a worse mood than Ratchet. Yes, he was very concerned for Steelfrost and Bumblebee, but he had just came back from a ten solar cycle mission, and all he planned on doing was recharging. Of course, that didn't work out.

Especially since as soon as he bid his spark mate goodnight, and hopped up onto his berth is when he heard his door being unlocked and opened quickly, while a beyond sane medic swarmed into his room, digging everywhere and murmuring something about "the mark of Unicron" or whatever that slag is. After Chromia and his berthroom was thoroughly searched, Optimus came by, trying to calm the angry medic down but only made him worse, yelling and cursing at all three startled bots before storming out of the room. That's also when Optimus informed him of what was going on, and why Ratchet was acting like he was glitched; Steelfrost and Bumblebee were missing.

Which means, there will be no recharging tonight.

Ironhide grumbled under his breath again, nearly staggering backwards when his pede landed on metal, and he looked to see a drone, laid in front of him, with his arms twisted at odd angles and energon stained his chassis.  
Decepticons.

Ironhide glared down at the dead drone for a few kliks, then noticed the energon trail which lead directly to another drone, and three more. All dead, energon was everywhere. He also picked up footsteps. Footsteps only one slagging Decepticon he knew could make; Starscream's.

There were also others, two different kinds of footsteps that Ironhide's keen optics picked up on, and a dreadful feeling began to settle over him as he commed Ratchet,

**:...Ratchet, you might want to come over here. I think I found something...:**

**:...What Ironhide? What did you find?...:**

**:...Dead drones, energon stains, and Screamer's tracks...:** Ironhide replied, squatting down to get a better look at the footsteps.

**:...That can only mean one thing...:** Ratchet said, his voice full of sadness and defeat.

**:...Yeah, the 'Cons took them...:** Ironhide sighed.

* * *

The silver-blue femme hadn't moved since Shockwave has proven himself. She hasn't even looked away from the floor. Steelfrost didn't pay attention to what Shockwave was doing to her, nor did she really care.

Two Decepticon drones walked in with a yellow Cybertronian in their arms. His mask was in place while his head hung low, his pedes were being dragged behind him. Steelfrost watched in horror as energon was leaking from many places on the Autobot. Shockwave ordered the drones to place him on the vacant berth.

"Starscream will not be pleased to hear that you have tried to escape." Shockwave turned his head towards Bumblebee, "Such a fruitless attempt."

"Especially since you managed to escape last time," Starscream walked through the door, a smirk plastered on his face, "But after all that time we spent together? We love having guests."

Steelfrost couldn't focus on what they were saying. She was still in denial. Shockwave was her creator. And she didn't even know if she was Steelfrost or somebot else. It killed her not knowing this.

"You poor Autobots. So ignorant. But do not worry, I can fix that," A devilish smile arrived on his face.

But what troubled her most, is that what would she say to the Autobots? What will they say? Does she even want to talk to her team? _No, not now. Not ever._

For the time being, she didn't even want to see them. Steelfrost was having a mental breakdown.

To distract her from her thoughts, she looked over to Bumblebee's berth, where Starscream was just beginning to slap him across the faceplates. She shouted at him to get his attention, and immediately regretted her decision.

"What's that? Little femme is protecting her friend? From me? Know your place in this world, TSS-#238, or I will do it for you." He narrowed his optics at her, the crimson coloration turned a brighter hue.

Steelfrost recognized this name, TSS-#238. She knew this somewhere. She's heard of it. Seen it. But where?

The thought lingered in her processor for the remainder of the time she was online.

The Decepticon hooked a wire to the back of Bumblebee's head. Shockwave walked over to Steelfrost and plugged in a similar wire. He then walks over to his large computer and flicks a switch.

Both Autobots offlined.

* * *

_"You...little one, will be mine...You will not die, young femme...for you, are my chosen one._

_"I have chosen one of your laboratory sparklings, to use as an essential key in a weapon I have been working on for years. The femme has the right amount of energy in her energon. Now that her spark has matured enough, I will need her._

_"I have engraved her with a mark on her protoform. A Cybertronian symbol. I am searching for her. If you help me track her down, I will allow you to use the weapon on the Autobots."_

...

"I'm coming for you, Steelfrost."

* * *

Steelfrost's optics turned on slowly, and she blinked a couple of seconds, but the darkness wouldn't go away. She was no longer in the lab, trapped on a berth of nightmares, but surrounded in invite darkness.

A darkness that was so deep she couldn't even see her own shadow. A darkness that swallowed her whole and had fear plunging into her spark, which was increasingly humming louder in her chest. Whispers ran through the air, talking fast and in a language Steelfrost could not understand.

Her tanks churned, and she felt nauseous. Her spark clenched in her chest, and she could feel her long legs shaking wildly.

"What is happening to me?!" Steelfrost cried out into the darkness, but there was no response.

Her helm began to ache painfully, and she dropped to her knees. Suddenly, the whispers stopped, and the inky blackness around her became silent. But in no way did this comfort her, instead it sent a shiver down her spinal strut.

Then, out of the darkness, large blazing red optics appeared, and Steelfrost shrieked wildly as she tried to get up to escape the piercing optics, but her frame refused to move. It stayed there, as if she was pinned down by some invisible force. Pure evil was coming off of these pair of optics like rays, and they narrowed down on her.

"W...Who are y-you?" Steelfrost asked, her voice trembling.

_I am you. You are apart of me_. A deep voice rumbled in the darkness.

Steelfrost was confused, "You? How can I be you?"

The optics watched her for a long time, scrutinizing her trembling body and her wide blue optics. The more the silence stayed, the more Steelfrost was becoming afraid again. She tried to move again, but her body refused.

_I am Unicron, young one._ The voice finally answered, and that had Steelfrost's spark shattering to pieces. Was this the monster who took part in creating her in those despicable Decepticons laboratory?

_I am._ He answered.

Steelfrosts, shook her helm, looking at the ground, "No, this can't be true! I'm _not_ like you!"

The voice gave a malicious chuckle, _Is that what the Autobots have been putting into your helm? That you are one of them? That you are normal?_ The optics then narrowed dangerously, _You are nothing like them. Dark energon runs through your veins, that is my energon. Yes, you were created in a laboratory, but you are still my spawn. You are mine._

Steelfrost couldn't help the tremble that ran through her frame again. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was taking Unicron's harsh words to spark, and found herself really questioning who she was.

Was she really a spawn of one of the most evil Cybertronian beings? Was she never meant to be an Autobot? Could she even trust the Autobots after all the secrets they've been keeping from her?

Steelfrosts shut her optics tightly, "No...I'm good. I know I'm good. I'm not evil."

_You are not one of them. You will never be one of them._ Unicron snarled, his red optics could only resemble Hell's fire.

Her spark clenched in her chest plastes, and her helm raced for an answer. Anything, that could keep her from believing Unicron. Unfortunately, she could not find anything. In defeat, she hung her helm low as Unicron's vicious laughter echoed throughout the darkness.

_I am coming for you, femme._ And those were the last words his deep voice bellowed before the darkness evaporated.

Steelfrosts blinked rapidly, before looking around to find herself back in the laboratory, still strapped on to the berth. Bumblebee was still unconscious on the berth from across the room. His frame battered and energon dried to his plating. She couldn't help the wave of guilt that constricted in her chest.

This was all her fault. Bee's messed up badly because they were after her.

Even though she had mixed feeling about the Autobots, she still loved Bee, and wanted him to be safe. She would never forgive herself if he died at the hands of these monsters. The door slid open, and in stepped the derailed scientist himself.

He was approaching Bumblebee, and fear surged into her chest.

"Please!" She cried out, "Don't hurt him! Let him go!"

She was surprised when Shockwave actually stopped and looked at her.

Spark frantically thrumming in her chest, she spoke quickly, "I'll stay here! I'll stay here and wait for Unicron if you let him go! But you have to let him go and bring him back to the Autobots!"

Shockwave glanced at Bumblebee who laid limp in his thick arms, before giving her an incredulous stare with his one optics.

"I promise," She whimpered softly, her voice breaking, "Just let him go! Please, I promise I'll cooperate!"

Shockwave stared at her for a long time, before pressing a servo to his helm, and two guards came into the lab only moments later.

"Take him. Deliver him to the Autobots." Shockwave's firm voice commanded.

The soldiers gave him a questioning look, before taking the unconscious Autobot, and walking away. Steelfrost's optics stared at the door, even though it was shut and the soldiers and Bumblebee were long gone. Finally, she looked away, and noticed that his energon had dried on the berth. A cold feeling settled in her spark, and she was very anxious.

Shockwave was busily typing away on a monitor, the room silent except for his servo's typing. Shockwave didn't bother to say anything, so Steelfrost stared up at the ceiling. To a person passing by, she looked almost peaceful, in the dazed stare she was in when really her helm was raging a war within itself.

Was she really a monster?


	6. Chapter 5

**Hi** **readers! This is a collaboration fix written by Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We (Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x) do not own Transformers!**

Ratchet and Ironhide were once again racing through the rocky terrain, this time going North, based off the tracks that the infamous second in command had left behind. A million thoughts raced inside Ratchet's helm, so much that it felt like it was spinning, and that might be because of the lack of recharge in a few cycles.

It wasn't long before they picked up on two Decepticon signature's approaching their direction rather quickly, and they transformed. Ironhide's large cannons were blazing, itching for a good beat down while Ratchet on the other hand was ready to rip helms off if he didn't find the youngest Autobots.

They stiffened, armor clamping to their plating as the two soldiers transformed as well, both sleek and painted dark colors. Ironhide was half way through a battle cry, ready to start shooting when Ratchet stuck out a bulky yellow arm. Ironhide stared at him, and Ratchet shook his helm slightly, before glaring back at the Con soldiers as they came closer, it seemed like they were struggling by the occasional gruntsand muttered curses.

Finally, it was clear to see what they were dragging along with them, and Ratchet optics turned white from the absolute rage that had consumed him.

They were dragging _Bumblebee's_ frame.

Ironhide let out a sound between an angry snarl and a vicious growl, and Ratchet was about to let him attack, when the Cons finally stopped dragging the yellow and black Autobot's frame and held their hands out in a universal sign of surrender. Ratchet had already alerted the others to the Cons presence, and that they had Bumblebee. Ironhide still had his cannons whirring, and was cursing Ratchet out in every language he knew for not letting him blast the Cons into smithereens. But he didn't have time to deal with a pissed off walking arsenal, because he needed to be alert. Optimus already commed back that he was on his way, and now all he needed to do was buy some time.

"What do you want from us?" Ratchet growled out, his voice low and scratchy.

"We've only come to deliver the Autobot." One of them replied, they both began to back up at the sight of Ironhide's enormous cannons.

"What the slag did you do to him?! Answer me, or I'll blow both your fraggin' helms off!" Ironhide snarled, obvious anger coming off of him in waves.

The war-hardened weapons specialist did have a certain soft spot for Bumblebee, and Ratchet could only imagine the emotions racing inside his helm. They were probably similar to the emotions racing in his own.

The Decepticons have gotten more cunning, taking the two youngest was definitely going to leave in an impact on the Autobots. As skilled as Steelfrost and Bumblebee are, they still had a lot to learn and can be used as a weakness simply because they are the next generation. The hope that if this war ends, they would survive and rebuild the population of Cybertron. It was never a spoken thought, but just something the Autobot's kept in the back of their helms. It's why they rarely send the youngest into combat, and usually have them occupied by doing minor patrols and retrieving cargo.

"We are sincere in that the only reason we came is to deliver the Autobot." The same one replied, and Ratchet saw the sincerity in those ember optics.

"Where's Steelfrost?" Ratchet demanded, optics narrowing into icy blue slits.

The two soldiers shared a glance before looking back at the glaring yellow medic. "Is that the femme?"

Ratchet's servos clenched, and a low grumbled rumbled from Ironhide's chest.

"Yes, it's the femme."

"She is with Shockwave. This was an exchange, his freedom for her cooperation." The same on answered honestly.

Ratchet saw red. And Before he could react, Ironhide began firing at them. They scrambled away, transforming sloppily and racing back the way that they came. Ironhide kept shooting, spatting out every curse word he could come up with at the two retreating figures as Ratchet ran over to Bumblebee, scanning and assessing his damage.

Luckily, most of the damage was just done to the frame with nothing internal. Ratchet went quickly to work, cleaning the fired energon to his plating and began welding open wounds all on his body. The familiar rumble of other Autobots finally came to them, but Ratchet was so focused on Bumblebee that he didn't spare them a glance.

"They still have Steelfrost. Bumblebee's alive, just very beaten-up. Hide's blowing off steam."

Optimus just nodded sadly, peering over Ratchet's shoulder, "Do you think it maybe because of the mark?"

Ratchet clenched his jaw, "I know it is."

* * *

Steelfrost hadn't moved from the berth she was strapped to, neither had her thoughts. They kept going from Unicron, to the laboratory, to the Autobots, to Bumblebee.

_To Bumblebee..._

Did the Decepticons return him like promised? Was he okay? Did the Autobots find him? Was he safe?...Is he alive?

The femme couldn't stop thinking of him. It'd just cycle in her processor the majority of the time she was strapped to the berth. Doing absolutely nothing.

Shockwave looked pretty busy, though. He was mixing liquids with liquids nonstop. Testing their consistency, the color, the type. Steelfrost had no clue what the Decepticon was creating, nor did she really want to know.

She had no idea what she had just agreed to.

But at least it keeps Bumblebee away from danger and herself from the Autobots. Steelfrost really did _not_ want to see the team. Not after everything they did.

And _didn't_ do.

The Autobots didn't abandon her in the laboratory to die. They gave her shelter, energon, love. But after every falsehood? Steelfrost couldn't forgive them anytime soon. She was fuming over the truth that lies.

As the kliks went by, her processor went into a deeper argument between whether she should forgive the Autobots or accept who she is and move on without them. Her decision was closer to moving on. She couldn't believe why they had lied to her.

She is the spawn of Unicron. She is the creation of Shockwave. She has dark energon in her veins. She is not an Autobot.

The sentence stricken through her like a dagger. The only reason why Steelfrost thought she was an Autobot, was because she had grown up with them. They raised her. But inside, biologically, she wasn't Autobot. She was pure Decepticon.

Steelfrost wanted to scream. Cry out to Primus "_why_?"

Her frame tensed and flattened against her protoform beneath as she felt a small prick on her right arm. Steelfrost turned her helm to see Shockwave injecting purple liquid using a syringe. Her frame shivered as she felt the liquid in her veins.

"What did you ju-"

"Dark energon," Shockwave turned back to his metal lab table, "I am seeing how much dark energon you can withstand."

Steelfrost instantly shouted in return, "I don't want dark energon in my veins! St-"

"You agreed to cooperate, did you not?"

The silver-blue femme hung her helm, remembering the deal. She picked up her helm and looked towards Shockwave's frame, "Why do you want dark energon in my veins?

"And why do I feel so drowsy?"

"You inquire quite a lot, young femme," Shockwave wrapped up his lab, having almost eight vials of dark energon in the small holder, "You'll know in the near future."

The Decepticon began walking to the door, muttering to the two drone guards beside the exit before walking out.

Steelfrost figured that he had given her a sedative mixed in with the dark energon. She tried her best to fight the urge to offline her optics and recharge. Her refusal was denied by the strong sedative, and she was soon offline in near kliks.


	7. Chapter 6

**Vodid: *Hides behind her swivel chair* I'm sorry for not updating! Don't kill me! We got through this massive writer's block!**

**Hi** **readers! This is a collaboration fix written by Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We (Vodid and 99Luftballonsx.o.x) do not own Transformers!**

It's been orbital cycles since Bumblebee was returned to the Autobots. Ratchet had spent a vast majority of his time repairing the young scout, and the remainder of the time either recharging or keeping the eager Autobots out of his med bay. Now, all that was left, was for Bumblebee to online from his recharge.

Cycles later, Bee's optics flickered on. At first, he freaked. He didn't know where he was, for he had struggled against Ratchet's servos, thinking the medic was a Decepticon.

"Bee! Bee...Calm down, it is just I...Ratchet," The medic eased his servos off the scout's shoulders, which were there to keep him down. "Don't strain yourself, you'll open the wounds again."

Bumblebee was hesitant, considering the fact that Ratchet would scold him for being so aft-headed. The scolds, the cold optics, the furious tone, ...the wrench. They never came. Ratchet had only soft optics, and knew better than to give Bee pity, but knew deep down, he strongly wanted to feel sympathetic.

The yellow and black Autobot glanced around the room, and once again, freaked out. One question buzzed in his processor.

_Where is she?_

He looked around again, ensuring he didn't miss her by any chance. His spark ached for her presence, but it was not found. His systems whined in despair.

_Where is Steel?_

* * *

"How many more of me are there?" Steelfrost shouted out to the darkness that had surrounded her kliks after she was sedated. She clenched her servos, "Am I just another experiment? Soon to be a slave to you?"

A dark chuckle filled the space around her, sending shivers up her spinal strut, _You know the answer. You are one of a kind. You were built in a laboratory. And you already are a slave to me, aren't you?_

Steelfrost's optics widened in realization. Unicron let the laboratory experiment fail to get to her. He allowed the Autobots to raise her. She gathered intel for the dark lord unintentionally. She wasn't an Autobot, she can't be a Decepticon. No.

She didn't know who she was anymore.

The femme was cursed. She can't avoid the inevitable. Her very being was oppressing the Autobots from the start.

_Now, now, little one, do not think so foully of yourself, _Unicron teasingly soothed. Primus, he knew how to get into your head and twist it around to places unknown. Literally.

A question appeared in Steelfrost's processor. One she should have asked long ago, "Why me?"

_You are a resilient femme, specially made by the Decepticons, you are mentally and physically strong. I would not let your life go to waste and be extinguished in that laboratory. An unsuspecting femme, you are. Even you would have never guessed it until now._

_Though you have not gathered enough information for me. I expect my brother to be oblivious about this. His speculations might draw himself to a Decepticon, not an "Autobot" femme._

This was wrong. But Steelfrost couldn't do anything about it, no matter how much she would try. There had to be _some_ way for her to get out of this. Alive or offline, she didn't care.

_I'll see you soon, femme._

* * *

"Why would you and Steelfrost go out there alone?" Ironhide demanded, still royally pissed.

Bumblebee shrank back from the fuming mech. He could be real threatening and scary when angry. The scout let out a whine, cowering away from the weapon specialist. He didn't want to blame Steel for dragging him out there when she was still captured, the Autobots also would be disappointed in him for playing the blame game. But thinking about it, it _was _Steel who pushed him to go out there with her. But it also was the Decepticons who lured them.

"'Hide, they're just sparklings, they don't know any better," Sideswipe said, wheeling up to him and placing a servo on the black mech's shoulder, "Kind of like Sunny and I, we did a lot of mischief when we were younger."

"You still do. But Bumblebee and Steel are old enough to understand that they should never do something like this," Ironhide said, glancing at the yellow scout in front of him. Bumblebee lowered his helm in guilt and shame. "He should be punished."

"He's gone through enough to learn his lesson, Ironhide," The regal Prime said, ending his friend's rage, "All we can do now is search for where the Decepticons are keeping Steelfrost. Ratchet and Red Alert, find where Steelfrost's spark signature was last seen. I would like to discuss everything that had happened with Bumblebee. Ironhide and the twins, go towards the ruins of Kaon to scout for any more clues. Jolt, Jazz and Dino, head towards Iacon and Praxus and cover the area, but do not enter the cities. I expect you all to be back before the orbital cycle ends. Comm Ratchet, Red Alert or me if there is anything."

With that, the Autobots went into action and rolled out.

Bumblebee was taken to a room with a desk. Optimus handed him a datapad and instructed, "I want you to type in everything that happened."

* * *

Ratchet paced the glossy floors of the Med Bay, his pedes ached relentlessly, but he couldn't care less about the warnings popping up in his helm. Red Alert across from him, scanning through footage of secret cameras set up by Jazz. Meanwhile, Ratchet's processor was spinning, and he wasn't even going to start on his whirling spark.

Steelfrost...

He'd give the whole world just to hear her jovial voice again, or the carefree happiness that glowed in her blue optics. His sanity was just about at its end, and every one else could feel it.

"Wait," Red Alert said suddenly, and Ratchet froze.

"What? What is it?" Ratchet asked, walking up to him.

"One of our cameras picked up something," He said, staring intently at the video recording.

All that flashed was black and white static, buzzing loudly and causing both mechs to lower their audio receptors. Finally, the static cleared, and voices could be faintly heard over the glitched screen before it cleared. It stamped back at least two orbital cycles, Steelfrost and Bumblebee were wandering around the terrain, looking for something. He tensed when they barely managed to dodge a missile, before Starscream and drones swarmed the camera. Starscream muttered something to a drone farther back, and the drone turned right towards the camera, before the screen went into black and white static.

Red Alert turned to Ratchet, "I think we may have a lock on her location."


	8. Chapter 7

**Hi readers! This is a collaboration fix...I think you get the point. Enjoy!**

The first to online were her audio receptors. She found herself straining to hear anything, but all she could hear was the quiet humming of machines all around her. The next thing were her system check-ups. Everything seemed to be in order, and once the scan was done, she gave a little sigh of relief. The last thing to online were her optics, which was taking an unusually long time.

And when they did, she let out a shriek at what stared back at her. Her thin blue armor was thicker, and much more heavier. But what shocked her the most were her optics, which was such a dark red that it almost looked purple.

"My optics..." The femme mumbled in shock, she tried to reach up to touch her face-plates, but something was holding her servos down. She struggled against them for a moment, trying to pull her servos free when she realized that they were strapped down to the berth. Along with her pedes.

She was stuck.

"No, no!" Steelfrost shouted, her voice mixed with anger, desperation, and fear, "What is happening to me? I look...I look-"

"Like a monster?" A voice interjected.

The femme's helm shot up, and stared in the direction that the voice came from, which was across the room. Standing there was a tall, lanky mech with bright red armor, and long antennas attached to the sides of his helm. They twitched as Steelfrost shifted to see him better. His optics were a cherry red, that almost blended perfectly with his armor.

"Who are you?" She growled.

The red mech held his servos up in a sign of surrender, he opened his mouth to speak but Steelfrost beat him to it.

"What did the slagging 'Cons do to me? Why is my armor so thick...and my optics! How long have you've been standing there?!"

"Calm down-" The red mech tried to soothe, taking a tiny step closer.

Steelfrost's armor tightened to her frame in worry, "_Calm down?!_ You expect me to calm down after being captured, tortured, and injected with dark energon and Primus knows whatever else! I'm...I'm a _monster_!" She felt the tears gathering around the corners of her optics, and her vision wavered for a second. By the time it cleared, the red mech was standing right in front of her.

"Shh," He said softly, as the femme began to shake, "Please, calm down before he hears you." There was something oddly familiar about the red mech. She felt like she has heard his voice before, somewhere in a past memory. Where has she heard that voice before?

"Who?" She asked, her optics narrrowing warily.

"Shockwave."

A tremor of dread ran through her spinal strut at the mention of the sinister, one-optic mech. The one who had strapped her here, and tortured her with visions of monsters. The red mech had moved down to her arm, and it was for the time that she noticed she was bleeding. The tight straps that kept her down had cut into her wrist. The red mech quietly subspaced a small cloth, and wiped the dribble of energon away.

"Why are you helping me?" Steelfrost found herself asking, looking up to meet the red mech with wide, red optics.

The red mech paused in mending her wound, as his optics flashed with a memory playing across his processor. He then shook his helm sadly, "You are not the only monster the Decepticons have created."

Her optics widened, but before she could say anything, the door to the laboratory had slid open, and the red mech quickly subspaced his cloth and tools, stepping away from the silver-blue femme.

"Hey, you!" A voice barked.

The red mech turned around, and saluted the larger, bulkier mech. "Yes, Breakdown sir!"

Breakdown's optics slid from the red mech to the shaking femme, "What are you doing?"

"She had a wound, sir. We are under orders by Megatron to make sure no harm comes to her." The red mech replied nervously, "So, I-"

"Don't care anymore," Breakdown snapped, "Get down to the basement. Shockwave needs you."

The red mech turned back to glance at Steelfrost again, before turning back and giving a resigned "yes sir." He walked around the fuming Breakdown, and through the still open door. It slid shut behind him.

"Don't even try to escape. You won't get very far, Autobot." Breakdown sneered, before leaving the room as well.

Steelfrost was left alone again in the silence, with her nothing but her thoughts.

"I'm not an Autobot anymore." She whispered, staring back at her red optics.

She wasn't anything anymore.

* * *

Ratchet wouldn't have any of it. No one could stop him now as he raced down to the location where Steel was last seen, where she and Bumblebee were ambushed by the fragging Decepticons.

_Primus, let there be a clue as to where she is_, the mech sped down the rocky road, kicking up dust and other debris behind him. Not caring if there are any Autobots tailing him, Ratchet picked up the pace, as if any tracks from the 'Cons left behind could vanish if he didn't get there quick enough. _Please don't do this to me! There has to be a lead._

The yellow mech skid to a stop and transformed, catiously proceeding through the area with his blue optics flicking from on side of the place to the other. An eerie silence greeted him, other than the soft thuds from his pedes.

There didn't seem to be anything here.

Except... Ratchet approached the wall, a few wires were sticking out where a surveillance camera would have been. The Decepticons tore it out, that's why it went offline.

He stood directly under the camera's former placement and stared at the scene, it looked just like the footage, except there wasn't anything more. Ratchet's optics found a metal box sitting in the middle of the empty lot, it was the same one Steelfrost and Bumblebee were inspecting.

_What did it do that caught their attention?_ He slowly approached the box, optics dead set on it and weapons ready to transform and activate. The medic was on high alert, who knows what this object could do.

Ironhide walked up from behind, as was Red Alert. The two must've followed.

Ratchet placed his hand on the top of the box, waiting for a reaction. None. He relaxed after concluding it was silent and would stay that way. What had drawn Steel and 'Bee here then, if it wasn't this?

The trio of Autobots jumped back, Ironhide activating his cannons on instinct, after the box unfolded itself to reveal two devices. Ratchet recognized the first as a high frequency alarm, that was set to creating a metal on metal collision sound. Odd, is that what caught the two sparklings' attention? The second technology was a message device, it was pending.

Did the Decepticons have this planned since the start? We're they waiting for an Autobot to find this?

Letting Ironhide gather the two devices, Ratchet walked over to join Red Alert in searching for any tracks clumsy drones could have left behind. Not a mark to be seen yet.

"Ratchet, I found something," Red Alert called him over. Rounding the corner, the medic caught sight of what his fellow Autobot had found.

An offline drone.

"Jackpot," Ironhide mumbled from behind, subspaced the two devices into his subspace. He passed Ratchet and bent down to get a better look at the drone, "Let's bring 'im back to base."

* * *

Steelfrost twitched at the sounds of the large door opening again, and a shudder went through her frame as the hulking, terrifying form of Shockwave entered the room, carrying that syringe full of dark energon. Disgust welled up inside her at the thought of being injected with that liquid again, but she knew she had no choice. This was what she agreed to to set Bumblebee free.

Besides, she was locked up pretty tightly.

Shockwave had injected her, and she felt the familiar drowsiness roll across her frame. Her optics dimmed for a moment, and she mumbled something incoherently. Shockwave ignored the young femme, moving to type something on the large monitor beside her, and the door to the room opened again. Steelfrost was too drowsy to lift her helm up to see who it was, but the voice that entered the room was unfamiliar. It had a high-class accent, and an air of arrogance, before a shiny red frame was visible. Her spark sank a little when she realized it wasn't the red mech from earlier, instead another mech, who seemed extremely irritated as he stomped over to Shockwave.

"Shockwave!" He screeched.

"What is it Knock Out?" Shockwave asked, his tone tinged with irritation as well.

"Kindly stop leaving your freaky side experiments in the open! Megatron will be here in a few orbital cycles, and if everything isn't in order by the time him and his company arrive, he will have my helm!" The mech named Knock Out shrieked. But Shockwave, as always, was unaffected.

"Affirmative." Was his monotonous reply, before he resumed typing.

Knock Out huffed indignantly, and crossed his arms when he realized Shockwave didn't care. He sneered at the one optic mech, before grumbling something about having to take a drive away from all these idiots. Steelfrost raised an optic ridge as he stomped through the doors again, and the silence resumed. _Megatron..._ She thought to herself, _i__s he coming for me?_That sent another shiver down her spinal strut.

Soon, Shockwave had finished his report, and once he was done, he had walked back over to her. Her armor tightened immediately with defense, even though she couldn't do much to defend herself. At least she could _still_ glare at him fiercely.

"You're endurance of dark energon is improving," he said, "You are not offlining anymore."

Steelfrost scoffed, and sneered at him, but on the inside, her panic was rising. She had heard Ratchet say something about dark energon being extremely dangerous before. What happens if she took too much? She was so distracted by her thought that she didn't realize Shockwave had left until the doors closed.

* * *

Steelfrost's optics onlined at the sound of the doors opening again. _Quite busy today,_ she thought gloomily, but smiled when it was the red mech from earlier. He was carrying a cube of energon, which she regarded warily.

"It's not laced with anything," He said, as if reading her processors, and tilted it towards her, "You need to drink it, your fuel levels are low."

Reluctantly, the silver-blue femme sipped the cube, before gulping it all down. She didn't even realize how starving she actually was. She let out a sigh of relief, and looked up at him, "Thank you."

He smiled softly, "You're welcome."

The young femme wasn't known for blindly trusting people, but she did have a little faith in this one. After all, he cleaned her wounds, and gave her actual energon. It was enough to trust him, at least partially. The red mech sat down beside her berth, bringing his legs up and he sighed too.

"What?" She wondered.

"Nothing," He shook his helm, "I was just wondering what it would've been like. To grow up with a Carrier and a Sire. To have real Creators."

Steelfrost found herself silently agreeing. Although, she was grateful. She may not have had real Creators, but she was surrounded by bots who loved and looked after her. And plus, she had Bumblebee. So really, she was never truly left alone long enough to wonder these things, while on the other hand, this red mech had probably been suffering for Primus-knows-how-long, wondering these things.

"What did you mean, when you said that I'm not the only monster the Decepticons have created?" She wondered aloud, turning her helm to look down at him.

The red mech stiffened, and scratched his neck, "It's not a pretty tale."

Steelfrost frowned, "I'm not a child, I can handle it."

"Okay," He said softly, "Well, after Megatron's plan of building a sparkling army had failed, and the laboratory had caught on fire, the Cons thought there was no hope left. But I, and a couple of other sparklings, manage to survive the fire. Megatron made sure that every sparkling with a beating spark had been rounded up from the wreckage, and we were sent here, to an old Con outpost, where we forced to become lethal assasins. It was harsh, horrible training, and they injected us with something akin to dark energon as well. Some of us didn't survive that.

"Once the training was finished, there was only three of us left, out of then eleven that were originally found. We were basically Megatron's special Ops soldiers; all we ever knew how to do was maim, tear, and kill. We were sent on missions to kill Autobots, but," He looked away for a second, "I could never do it. I hate violence, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I took another bot's life like that. Megatron found out about it, and wasn't too happy." The red mech lifted up a plate of armor, exposing a deep, gruesome gash on his abdomen, "This was the punishment."

Steelfrost gasped, feeling horror and sympathy for the mech, "That's...that's horrible."


End file.
